Fruit-gatherer



(Nu-Model.)

S. O. HICKOK.. FRUIT GATHERBR.

No. 438,158.v Patented Oct. 14,1890.

Nirn TArns FFICE.,

STEPHEN O. I-IIOKOK, OF ALLEN, MICHIGAN.

FRUIT-GATHERR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 438,158, dated October14, 1890.

Application filed ,Iuly 14, 1890i Serial No, 358;@02, (No modell).

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN O. HICKOK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Allen, in the county of Hillsdale and State of Michigan,have invented a new and useful Fruit- Gatherer, of which the followingis a specilication.

This invention relates to harvesters, more especially to that classthereof known as fruit-gatherers.7 The object of the same is to providea distendingwire detachably connected to the mouth-piece for holding thefabric fruit-receptacles in distended position.

To this end the invention consists of the specific details ofconstruction hereinafter more fully described, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of thisimproved device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective detail of the wireframe of one of the receptacles.

Referring to the said drawings, the letter B designates the body of thisdevice, which consists of two arms crossing` eachother and pivoted atthe point of crossing, as at P, their lower ends being provided withlong wooden handles H. At the upper end of each arm of the body isprovided a fruit-receiving receptacle R. Each receptacle consists of aframe-work, preferably of stout wire, comprising a mouth M, rigidlysecured to the upper end of the body-arm, and a distending-wire D,having clamping-hooks C, and a cloth cover V surrounding the whole. Inassembling the parts the mouth M is first securedto the body-arm, thecover V then stitched to the mouth and allowed to project outwardlytherefrom, as shown, and the distending-wire D then inserted within thebody, with its hooks C engaging the mouth-wire M and its surroundingbody of fabric.

By the word fabric I desire to be understood as including cloth,wire-netting, or any other suitable material which will answer thepurpose.

In operation the user grasps the two handles II, opens the device,raises it to the defired position, closes it over the stem of the pieceof fruit which it is desired to pick, and then draws toward himself ormoves the device in a proper manner to break the stem. The piece offruit falls into one receptacle or the other, and the operation isrepeated until both receptacles have been filled. The device is thenclosed, lowered to the ground, and opened to discharge the fruit intoabasket. The utility of the distending-wires is that they serve to holdthe receptacles open and out of the Way of the successful operation ofthe device, and by means of their cltmpinghooks C they can be adj ustedWithin the receptacle so as to stand vertically or horizontally therein,as desired, or can be removed entirely.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- In a fruit-gatherer, thecombination of the body B, comprising two arms crossing each other, anda pivot P connecting them at their point of crossing, with themouth-pieces M secured to the upper ends of said arms, the fabricreceptacles V at the outer sides of said mouth-pieces, thedistending-wires D within said fabric receptacles, and the clampinghooksC at the ends of said Wires, detachably engaging the mouth-pieces M,substantially as hereinbefore described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN O. HICKOK.

Vitnesses:

CLARENCE AVERY, H. E. BLACKMAR.

